The weather this week has been warm, but the Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky is getting ready for winter. Executive Director Kim Webb says they're already open year-round.
"The really big difference for opening the cold shelter (is) we bring women and those who identify as female into the building at night for overnight sheltering," she says. "For us, we're already emergency sheltering for men and those who identify as men."
Webb says they're relocating the men's housing work program to create a 16-bed wing for women. They're also starting to get winter clothing ready for guests.
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Webb says as they celebrate the 15th year of operations — including a night shelter, transitional housing work, and a health care clinic — she's looking at what's positive. "Last year, 20% of those 1,004 human beings spent one night with us. Sixty-seven percent spent less than 14 nights," she says. "That tells us that if you just give someone the bed to sleep in, they have a high chance of finding an alternative solution, rather than continuing in a homeless situation."
Webb says they are a low-barrier shelter, meaning there's additional help if someone wants it, and they can still stay if they don't.
Webb says the shelter typically serves about 1,500 people a year.
"A third of those folks were over the age of 55. This is a national thing. That is not something new, that we continue to see our baby boomers and senior citizens showing up at doors needing beds, that have intense medical needs."
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Webb says many senior clients are letting pre-existing conditions go untreated because they don't have adequate resources. That's putting pressure on the shelter's health clinic.
There's an open house for the Covington shelter on Thursday. Local religious leaders will hold an annual blessing on Sunday.
